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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/dec/31/hunt-plans-helpline-for-children-of-alcoholics-after-labour-mps-story
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| Hunt plans helpline for children of alcoholics after Labour MP's story | Hunt plans helpline for children of alcoholics after Labour MP's story |
| (11 days later) | |
| Jeremy Hunt is drawing up a strategy including a new national helpline to support 200,000 children being raised by alcoholic parents, after being moved by the personal story of his Labour counterpart. | Jeremy Hunt is drawing up a strategy including a new national helpline to support 200,000 children being raised by alcoholic parents, after being moved by the personal story of his Labour counterpart. |
| The health secretary praised what he said was the extraordinary bravery of Jonathan Ashworth, who spoke out about an upbringing in which his father would fall over drunk at the school gates. | The health secretary praised what he said was the extraordinary bravery of Jonathan Ashworth, who spoke out about an upbringing in which his father would fall over drunk at the school gates. |
| Opening up unexpectedly in an interview with the Guardian a year ago, Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, also described how he would return home to a fridge stacked with cheap alcohol and no food. | Opening up unexpectedly in an interview with the Guardian a year ago, Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, also described how he would return home to a fridge stacked with cheap alcohol and no food. |
| Since the publication of the article, which drew a huge response, Ashworth has joined campaigners to call for urgent support for the children of people who have problems with alcohol. | Since the publication of the article, which drew a huge response, Ashworth has joined campaigners to call for urgent support for the children of people who have problems with alcohol. |
| Now the government is committing £500,000 to expand an existing local support line for children into a national helpline. | Now the government is committing £500,000 to expand an existing local support line for children into a national helpline. |
| Hunt said the issue transcended party politics and that he wanted to work cross-party to help change the story for those affected. “It is heartbreaking that so many children grow up under the shadow of their parents’ alcohol addiction,” he said. | Hunt said the issue transcended party politics and that he wanted to work cross-party to help change the story for those affected. “It is heartbreaking that so many children grow up under the shadow of their parents’ alcohol addiction,” he said. |
| The National Association for Children of Alcoholics received 36,000 emails and phone calls last year. It said its helpline counsellors had read bedtime stories to five-year-olds because their parents were too drunk to pay them attention at night. | The National Association for Children of Alcoholics received 36,000 emails and phone calls last year. It said its helpline counsellors had read bedtime stories to five-year-olds because their parents were too drunk to pay them attention at night. |
| Other cases involved children who had been physically abused or neglected as a result of their parents’ alcohol use. | Other cases involved children who had been physically abused or neglected as a result of their parents’ alcohol use. |
| The government said the children of alcoholic parents were twice as likely to have problems at school, three times as likely to consider suicide and five times more likely to develop an eating disorder. | The government said the children of alcoholic parents were twice as likely to have problems at school, three times as likely to consider suicide and five times more likely to develop an eating disorder. |
| Ashworth said he welcomed the move, but that it needed to be backed up with the “necessary action and resources”. | Ashworth said he welcomed the move, but that it needed to be backed up with the “necessary action and resources”. |
| “A year ago in the Guardian I spoke frankly about my own personal circumstances growing up with an alcoholic parent,” he said. “In fact I didn’t mean to speak out at all but since I did I received countless messages from others sharing their stories growing up in similar circumstances. | “A year ago in the Guardian I spoke frankly about my own personal circumstances growing up with an alcoholic parent,” he said. “In fact I didn’t mean to speak out at all but since I did I received countless messages from others sharing their stories growing up in similar circumstances. |
| “Those messages gave me strength and huge comfort as I’ve campaigned for a strategy to support children of alcoholics these past 12 months.” | “Those messages gave me strength and huge comfort as I’ve campaigned for a strategy to support children of alcoholics these past 12 months.” |
| He said Hunt’s commitment to work on a cross-party basis to produce a strategy, starting with funding a national helpline, was “a victory to all those who supported our campaign as well as MPs like Liam Byrne and Caroline Flint who have also spoken out so bravely”. | He said Hunt’s commitment to work on a cross-party basis to produce a strategy, starting with funding a national helpline, was “a victory to all those who supported our campaign as well as MPs like Liam Byrne and Caroline Flint who have also spoken out so bravely”. |
| He promised to engage with ministers to ensure that “this absolutely crucial and welcome announcement” was fully backed up. | He promised to engage with ministers to ensure that “this absolutely crucial and welcome announcement” was fully backed up. |
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